(no subject)
Chapter 7 brought the mission at hand into light. However, it also brought the true force of the danger into light as well. With one of the two in the clutches of the evil forces, will the remaining defender be able to stand on his own?
There was no sleeping in the little house on the outskirts of Toad Town. Every light was brightly burning within the windows of the comfortable little abode, nestled pleasantly in the middle of near nowhere.
Luigi was pacing about the kitchen, drinking his fourth cup of Koopa Tea since he'd heard the news. Brandon was slumped low on the couch, staring straight through the television as it played a late-night sketch comedy show. Any other time, the humor would have been appreciated. But it was just too somber a time to try and smile.
"You can't beat yourself up over it, y'know," Luigi finally said as he walked back into the living room.
"What kind of boyfriend am I," the younger male sighed heavily, "who can't protect his own girlfriend? Seriously."
Luigi sat down in a recliner and kicked up his feet. "I see what your problem is, Brandon. Your problem is that you can't separate emotions from your job."
"What?" He sat up slightly, but not much. He turned the television's volume down.
"You said Dani told you not to try to help her, right?"
"Yeah. With that weird connection you told me about."
"Exactly." Luigi sipped his drink, then sighed. "How much help could you be to her if you were captured too?"
He knew she had told him this earlier, but it finally seemed to sink in. "None," he whispered reluctantly.
"Good boy. Yes, she was kidnapped and taken away... but she will be fine. She's Mario's daughter after all, and Mario has always come out okay. What you have to focus on now is stepping up and doing her job until she's rescued or escaped."
"What's her job?"
"She's the next hero of the Mushroom Kingdom. And now, so are you."
"That sounds rough."
Luigi smiled a little. "It is. But you'll be fine. The Stars know what they're doing when they pick Star children." He laid back a little. "Yes, when they captured Dani, she was scared well out of her mind."
"I know I was."
"But she was born with the instinctive nature to not let her emotions take the wheel when she's out there in the field. That's why she didn't call out for you. She knew that the instant you begged for her, you'd have been right there. Yeah, it's a frightening sacrifice she made, but she knows it's for the better." He rose from his seat. "Look, it's really late. How about we try and get a little bit of sleep, then start the search tomorrow?"
"I guess." He laid on the couch, not wanting to move from it.
"Good night." Luigi wandered down the hall, sighing heavily.
"Yeah."
***
The television played quietly in the living room as Brandon slept. He'd finally drifted off into an uneasy sleep after two hours of staring through the screen as if it'd give him an answer. His sleep was often disturbed with images and voices, and he jostled a lot. The screen suddenly turned to static, turning the entire living room white. For whatever reason, it woke him up.
"What now?" He murmured sleepily, rubbing his tired blue eyes while looking at the screen. His vision cleared up immediately when the image of what looked like a black Koopa shadow hit the screen. "What's that?"
The screen turned blue, then cleared up. A stout Koopa with a star-shaped tanline on his face was standing atop a podium, grinning widely at the audience of Koopas and Goombas.
"What the hell?" Brandon whispered, falling from the couch and walking on his knees towards the screen.
"Good evening and salutations, citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom! We bring you greetings from the wonderful, amazing, spectacular Dark Land!" The creature spoke.
He tilted his head. Something in the back of his mind made this character seem familiar. "He talks too much. Get to the point." He instructed the television.
"For all you night owls out there, this message will be broadcast and repeated again shortly after the daybreak this following morning. But my father, the great King Bowser, wishes to announce his great accomplishment with you, the civilians of the Mushroom Kingdom!"
He leaned in closer to the screen, his attention piqued.
"We now bear in our mighty, wonderful posession, the daughter of Princess Peach! Yes, you have heard correctly, folks. We have your dear Lady Danielle in our hands! She is ours to control; ours to do with her as we please!"
He growled a little but instantly felt guilty again.
"We intend to make good use of her. Our assignment for the last twenty years will finally be achieved. Within three days time, upon the night of the highest level of Starlight, we'll hold a grand execution in our wonderful kingdom! All are invited. And for those who don't want to make the travel arrangements, we'll broadcast it live on every station on every television, worldwide!"
He stood up, shivering at the news. "They can't do that... Luigi! Lui-"
"Shut up!" A new-strange voice growled into his ear. "Shut up or you die!" The figure whirled the human around. A pair of large glasses met the unnerved human's blue eyes. "I'm on your side, unless you cause a riot, understand?"
Brandon nodded his head quietly.
"Good. Now follow me."
***
"Welcome to my hideout," the Koopa said warmly. He had pale rainbow hair and large blue eyes hidden beneath a pair of glasses. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Iggy Koopa, middle child of Bowser."
Brandon looked alarmed and began to charge a fire orb.
"No, no!" Iggy growled, swatting the human's hand down. "If I were intending to capture you, do you think I'd have let you walk here on your own accord?"
"No... I guess not. Sorry." He rubbed his wrist.
"My brother, Larry, and I are on your side. See, King Dad isn't aware that Larry is actually for your side, while I ride the neutral fence. If he were to find out..."
"I'm thinking you'd be dead?"
"Smart boy." The rainbow-haired creature locked the door behind them. "This is what my brother and I call 'Iggy's Castle,' although you see it's nothing spectacular. This is where we come when King Dad begins to plot, and we tell him that we're ruling our own lands. King Dad isn't as smart as he seems."
"I thought so."
"Our brother Ludwig is usually the brains behind it all. Anyway. As you're probably all too aware, King Dad kidnapped Danielle."
"I was there," he muttered. I wish they'd stop rubbing that in.
"They're planning to kill her so that King Dad can become the bearer of the Crystal Star. If he got his hands on the Galactic power, no doubt he'd destroy the entire world with his greed."
"Wait... you mean that other people can use mine and Dani's abilities?"
"If a person gets a hand on the Star in which you possess and eliminate you or put you into black sleep, yes. Where's your Star?"
"I... I don't know. I never saw it. Oh." He held out his right hand, showing the Star-shaped scar. "I have this..."
Iggy nodded. "Then it's still inside your body."
"What?"
"You can absorb the Stars into your body. That's how the Stars are activated. To deactivate them, that is, to make them inactive, you have to force the Star out."
"How?"
"Close your eyes and think about the star and its color. It should slowly appear in your hand."
"That's nice. Anyway... go on."
"You have to rescue Danielle from King Dad. He has no idea just how strong the Galactic powers are."
He stepped forward, about to explode. "You think I haven't heard that? I don't know where they took her! Otherwise I'd already have been halfway there!"
Iggy held out a mirror. "Then allow me to show you..."
The mirror began to flicker, then an image began to materialize. A place deep below the ground, pitch black, horribly cold and damp. A solitary flicker of light could be seen, and it was from a candle.
Why isn't she making an electric orb so she can see? He thought.
The ground twisted and turned with multitudes of warp pipes of varying sizes and colors. Finally she came into view. She looked dazed and unnerved, and she had what looked like two heavy shackles on either wrist. She stood up, unsteady, and wandered away from the candlelight for a second before coming back and sitting down again.
"I don't want to see anymore," he finally uttered, shuddering.
"She's been locked away inside Ludwig's kingdom, Pipe Land. Larry has gone to the castle to try and get a bearing on where they've put her... but Pipe Land is so confusing that few people go in there and come back alive."
He thought for a moment back to what Luigi said. Separate emotions from the task at hand. "Wait. Iggy. Maybe we should look at where she is a little closer... maybe it'll give some sort of hint."
"Good idea..."
They looked into the mirror's image, trying to memorize everything they could see in its view.
***
The youngest Koopaling wandered through the castle, nodding at guards as he went past. He had to keep some sort of evil appearance to himself, as not to be outed for being "one of them." The last time someone had admitted their loyalty for the Mushroom Kingdom, they were burned within an inch of their life, then sentenced to death by Thwomps. But Iggy said this was important, so he had agreed to go.
"Are you sure she's secure, Ludwig?" The evil king's voice rumbled from the next room. The young Koopaling placed his ear to the door.
"Yes, yes, King Dad," Ludwig's voice answered calmly. "There are such few escapes from Pipe Land that it's highly unlikely that she'll make it out. Plus, we've disabled her Thunderhand by placing shackles on her wrists that will feed the electricity back into herself if she tries to use it. She already made several attempts, and she's worn her energy down to near nothing! She's helpless, King Dad. There's no way she'll escape."
"Good work, my son. You know how angry I'll be if that little girl escapes my grasp again..."
"Yes, King Dad. I have taken every precaution."
"What about Brandon? You know the little boy will be coming for his precious friend soon enough."
"He's nothing without her, King Dad. He ran away so fast that it was highly laughable! He seems to be a genuine copy of Luigi--a timid little boy thrown into the line of heroism. He'll fail to make it past the Dark Land borders if he even attempts to find her! I wouldn't spare a second's thought worrying about him."
"I see. I still want to ensure he won't be here in time to impede the execution ceremony. What side does his abilities seem to function from?"
"He seems to be a right-handed battler, King Dad."
"Opposite of Danielle. I see." There was a pause in the conversation. "Well. Take this to Roy. Tell him to find the little wannabe hero and use this. It will completely disable the boy's right side of his body for at least a week. He'll be unable to function, thus giving us ample time to finally be rid of Danielle."
"Yes, King Dad. Please excuse me."
The little Koopaling got up and ran for the nearest warp pipe back to the Mushroom Kingdom, armed with the information. He shouted into his wand, "Iggy! Don't let him go anywhere! It's urgent that he stays hidden!"
***
"What do you mean Roy's coming after him?" Iggy cried in distress when his youngest brother told him the story.
"Exactly how it sounds! Roy's gonna beat him within an inch of his life!" Larry exclaimed worriedly.
"Oh Stars above! I just let him go it alone..."
The brothers ran from the hideout into the dark cover of the night. And got there too late to head the confrontation off.
"I got a gift for you, courtesy of Dark Land," Roy laughed at the human that was so much smaller than he.
Brandon growled, remembering who this character was. He's one of those who took her. Now he's coming after me. He wound up a Bob-omb, a gift from Iggy. "Come anywhere near me and I'll light this thing."
Roy spun his wand around the area, causing the ground to be coated in a heavy fog. "I'm the ruler of Sky Land, you idiot. I'm not afraid of someone who can't see in the fog." Seeing his target confused and off-guard, he launched forward and threw the human to the ground. "Now... as I was saying..."
He looked up at a very sharp looking object. It resembled a dagger, and he squirmed futily.
"A gift from Dark Land!" The dagger-like object was actually a Thunder Rage, piercing violently into his body and ravaging his right side with millions of volts in electric power. Roy grinned viciously and got up off his target.
Brandon found his entire right side paralyzed and immobile. He found his ability to make fireballs disabled. He looked horrified at this realization and simply lay there, staring his assailant in the eyes. However, another image filled his mind instead. He remembered what this evil creature did to Dani.
Roy stopped his laughter and looked uneasy when he saw the crippled defender actually rising to his feet. "What the hell?" He questioned. "Why don't you stay in the dirt where you're safer, punk?"
The human stumbled and staggered, finding a tree to support his paralyzed half. "Why didn't you stay in your hideout where you were safe?" He growled quietly.
"Are you threatening me? Ha! You can't even make a simple fireball."
All the young defender could see and hear was the reminders of the horrible abduction. He pushed himself off the tree and despite his entire right half being immobile, stood upright. He lifted his left hand, suddenly feeling like another force was gripping him. In the palm of his left hand, the crackling of electricity was beginning.
Roy's eyes widened. "You gotta be kiddin' me!"
"Here's a little lesson for you," Brandon stammered while the electricity coursed through his hand and into a sphere. He threw it forward and electrocuted the evil creature within an inch of its life. "When you take someone's girl, don't expect him to sit back and let it go."
Roy was paralyzed, laying on the ground quivering. He smirked, however, and used his wand to teleport to safety.
Iggy and Larry came out from their hiding places, looking shocked and excited.
"That was amazing!" The younger Koopa exclaimed.
"How did you do that?" Iggy questioned.
Neither got their answer. The paralyzed human took two steps forward, made a soft sound, and collapsed to the ground.
There was no sleeping in the little house on the outskirts of Toad Town. Every light was brightly burning within the windows of the comfortable little abode, nestled pleasantly in the middle of near nowhere.
Luigi was pacing about the kitchen, drinking his fourth cup of Koopa Tea since he'd heard the news. Brandon was slumped low on the couch, staring straight through the television as it played a late-night sketch comedy show. Any other time, the humor would have been appreciated. But it was just too somber a time to try and smile.
"You can't beat yourself up over it, y'know," Luigi finally said as he walked back into the living room.
"What kind of boyfriend am I," the younger male sighed heavily, "who can't protect his own girlfriend? Seriously."
Luigi sat down in a recliner and kicked up his feet. "I see what your problem is, Brandon. Your problem is that you can't separate emotions from your job."
"What?" He sat up slightly, but not much. He turned the television's volume down.
"You said Dani told you not to try to help her, right?"
"Yeah. With that weird connection you told me about."
"Exactly." Luigi sipped his drink, then sighed. "How much help could you be to her if you were captured too?"
He knew she had told him this earlier, but it finally seemed to sink in. "None," he whispered reluctantly.
"Good boy. Yes, she was kidnapped and taken away... but she will be fine. She's Mario's daughter after all, and Mario has always come out okay. What you have to focus on now is stepping up and doing her job until she's rescued or escaped."
"What's her job?"
"She's the next hero of the Mushroom Kingdom. And now, so are you."
"That sounds rough."
Luigi smiled a little. "It is. But you'll be fine. The Stars know what they're doing when they pick Star children." He laid back a little. "Yes, when they captured Dani, she was scared well out of her mind."
"I know I was."
"But she was born with the instinctive nature to not let her emotions take the wheel when she's out there in the field. That's why she didn't call out for you. She knew that the instant you begged for her, you'd have been right there. Yeah, it's a frightening sacrifice she made, but she knows it's for the better." He rose from his seat. "Look, it's really late. How about we try and get a little bit of sleep, then start the search tomorrow?"
"I guess." He laid on the couch, not wanting to move from it.
"Good night." Luigi wandered down the hall, sighing heavily.
"Yeah."
***
The television played quietly in the living room as Brandon slept. He'd finally drifted off into an uneasy sleep after two hours of staring through the screen as if it'd give him an answer. His sleep was often disturbed with images and voices, and he jostled a lot. The screen suddenly turned to static, turning the entire living room white. For whatever reason, it woke him up.
"What now?" He murmured sleepily, rubbing his tired blue eyes while looking at the screen. His vision cleared up immediately when the image of what looked like a black Koopa shadow hit the screen. "What's that?"
The screen turned blue, then cleared up. A stout Koopa with a star-shaped tanline on his face was standing atop a podium, grinning widely at the audience of Koopas and Goombas.
"What the hell?" Brandon whispered, falling from the couch and walking on his knees towards the screen.
"Good evening and salutations, citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom! We bring you greetings from the wonderful, amazing, spectacular Dark Land!" The creature spoke.
He tilted his head. Something in the back of his mind made this character seem familiar. "He talks too much. Get to the point." He instructed the television.
"For all you night owls out there, this message will be broadcast and repeated again shortly after the daybreak this following morning. But my father, the great King Bowser, wishes to announce his great accomplishment with you, the civilians of the Mushroom Kingdom!"
He leaned in closer to the screen, his attention piqued.
"We now bear in our mighty, wonderful posession, the daughter of Princess Peach! Yes, you have heard correctly, folks. We have your dear Lady Danielle in our hands! She is ours to control; ours to do with her as we please!"
He growled a little but instantly felt guilty again.
"We intend to make good use of her. Our assignment for the last twenty years will finally be achieved. Within three days time, upon the night of the highest level of Starlight, we'll hold a grand execution in our wonderful kingdom! All are invited. And for those who don't want to make the travel arrangements, we'll broadcast it live on every station on every television, worldwide!"
He stood up, shivering at the news. "They can't do that... Luigi! Lui-"
"Shut up!" A new-strange voice growled into his ear. "Shut up or you die!" The figure whirled the human around. A pair of large glasses met the unnerved human's blue eyes. "I'm on your side, unless you cause a riot, understand?"
Brandon nodded his head quietly.
"Good. Now follow me."
***
"Welcome to my hideout," the Koopa said warmly. He had pale rainbow hair and large blue eyes hidden beneath a pair of glasses. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Iggy Koopa, middle child of Bowser."
Brandon looked alarmed and began to charge a fire orb.
"No, no!" Iggy growled, swatting the human's hand down. "If I were intending to capture you, do you think I'd have let you walk here on your own accord?"
"No... I guess not. Sorry." He rubbed his wrist.
"My brother, Larry, and I are on your side. See, King Dad isn't aware that Larry is actually for your side, while I ride the neutral fence. If he were to find out..."
"I'm thinking you'd be dead?"
"Smart boy." The rainbow-haired creature locked the door behind them. "This is what my brother and I call 'Iggy's Castle,' although you see it's nothing spectacular. This is where we come when King Dad begins to plot, and we tell him that we're ruling our own lands. King Dad isn't as smart as he seems."
"I thought so."
"Our brother Ludwig is usually the brains behind it all. Anyway. As you're probably all too aware, King Dad kidnapped Danielle."
"I was there," he muttered. I wish they'd stop rubbing that in.
"They're planning to kill her so that King Dad can become the bearer of the Crystal Star. If he got his hands on the Galactic power, no doubt he'd destroy the entire world with his greed."
"Wait... you mean that other people can use mine and Dani's abilities?"
"If a person gets a hand on the Star in which you possess and eliminate you or put you into black sleep, yes. Where's your Star?"
"I... I don't know. I never saw it. Oh." He held out his right hand, showing the Star-shaped scar. "I have this..."
Iggy nodded. "Then it's still inside your body."
"What?"
"You can absorb the Stars into your body. That's how the Stars are activated. To deactivate them, that is, to make them inactive, you have to force the Star out."
"How?"
"Close your eyes and think about the star and its color. It should slowly appear in your hand."
"That's nice. Anyway... go on."
"You have to rescue Danielle from King Dad. He has no idea just how strong the Galactic powers are."
He stepped forward, about to explode. "You think I haven't heard that? I don't know where they took her! Otherwise I'd already have been halfway there!"
Iggy held out a mirror. "Then allow me to show you..."
The mirror began to flicker, then an image began to materialize. A place deep below the ground, pitch black, horribly cold and damp. A solitary flicker of light could be seen, and it was from a candle.
Why isn't she making an electric orb so she can see? He thought.
The ground twisted and turned with multitudes of warp pipes of varying sizes and colors. Finally she came into view. She looked dazed and unnerved, and she had what looked like two heavy shackles on either wrist. She stood up, unsteady, and wandered away from the candlelight for a second before coming back and sitting down again.
"I don't want to see anymore," he finally uttered, shuddering.
"She's been locked away inside Ludwig's kingdom, Pipe Land. Larry has gone to the castle to try and get a bearing on where they've put her... but Pipe Land is so confusing that few people go in there and come back alive."
He thought for a moment back to what Luigi said. Separate emotions from the task at hand. "Wait. Iggy. Maybe we should look at where she is a little closer... maybe it'll give some sort of hint."
"Good idea..."
They looked into the mirror's image, trying to memorize everything they could see in its view.
***
The youngest Koopaling wandered through the castle, nodding at guards as he went past. He had to keep some sort of evil appearance to himself, as not to be outed for being "one of them." The last time someone had admitted their loyalty for the Mushroom Kingdom, they were burned within an inch of their life, then sentenced to death by Thwomps. But Iggy said this was important, so he had agreed to go.
"Are you sure she's secure, Ludwig?" The evil king's voice rumbled from the next room. The young Koopaling placed his ear to the door.
"Yes, yes, King Dad," Ludwig's voice answered calmly. "There are such few escapes from Pipe Land that it's highly unlikely that she'll make it out. Plus, we've disabled her Thunderhand by placing shackles on her wrists that will feed the electricity back into herself if she tries to use it. She already made several attempts, and she's worn her energy down to near nothing! She's helpless, King Dad. There's no way she'll escape."
"Good work, my son. You know how angry I'll be if that little girl escapes my grasp again..."
"Yes, King Dad. I have taken every precaution."
"What about Brandon? You know the little boy will be coming for his precious friend soon enough."
"He's nothing without her, King Dad. He ran away so fast that it was highly laughable! He seems to be a genuine copy of Luigi--a timid little boy thrown into the line of heroism. He'll fail to make it past the Dark Land borders if he even attempts to find her! I wouldn't spare a second's thought worrying about him."
"I see. I still want to ensure he won't be here in time to impede the execution ceremony. What side does his abilities seem to function from?"
"He seems to be a right-handed battler, King Dad."
"Opposite of Danielle. I see." There was a pause in the conversation. "Well. Take this to Roy. Tell him to find the little wannabe hero and use this. It will completely disable the boy's right side of his body for at least a week. He'll be unable to function, thus giving us ample time to finally be rid of Danielle."
"Yes, King Dad. Please excuse me."
The little Koopaling got up and ran for the nearest warp pipe back to the Mushroom Kingdom, armed with the information. He shouted into his wand, "Iggy! Don't let him go anywhere! It's urgent that he stays hidden!"
***
"What do you mean Roy's coming after him?" Iggy cried in distress when his youngest brother told him the story.
"Exactly how it sounds! Roy's gonna beat him within an inch of his life!" Larry exclaimed worriedly.
"Oh Stars above! I just let him go it alone..."
The brothers ran from the hideout into the dark cover of the night. And got there too late to head the confrontation off.
"I got a gift for you, courtesy of Dark Land," Roy laughed at the human that was so much smaller than he.
Brandon growled, remembering who this character was. He's one of those who took her. Now he's coming after me. He wound up a Bob-omb, a gift from Iggy. "Come anywhere near me and I'll light this thing."
Roy spun his wand around the area, causing the ground to be coated in a heavy fog. "I'm the ruler of Sky Land, you idiot. I'm not afraid of someone who can't see in the fog." Seeing his target confused and off-guard, he launched forward and threw the human to the ground. "Now... as I was saying..."
He looked up at a very sharp looking object. It resembled a dagger, and he squirmed futily.
"A gift from Dark Land!" The dagger-like object was actually a Thunder Rage, piercing violently into his body and ravaging his right side with millions of volts in electric power. Roy grinned viciously and got up off his target.
Brandon found his entire right side paralyzed and immobile. He found his ability to make fireballs disabled. He looked horrified at this realization and simply lay there, staring his assailant in the eyes. However, another image filled his mind instead. He remembered what this evil creature did to Dani.
Roy stopped his laughter and looked uneasy when he saw the crippled defender actually rising to his feet. "What the hell?" He questioned. "Why don't you stay in the dirt where you're safer, punk?"
The human stumbled and staggered, finding a tree to support his paralyzed half. "Why didn't you stay in your hideout where you were safe?" He growled quietly.
"Are you threatening me? Ha! You can't even make a simple fireball."
All the young defender could see and hear was the reminders of the horrible abduction. He pushed himself off the tree and despite his entire right half being immobile, stood upright. He lifted his left hand, suddenly feeling like another force was gripping him. In the palm of his left hand, the crackling of electricity was beginning.
Roy's eyes widened. "You gotta be kiddin' me!"
"Here's a little lesson for you," Brandon stammered while the electricity coursed through his hand and into a sphere. He threw it forward and electrocuted the evil creature within an inch of its life. "When you take someone's girl, don't expect him to sit back and let it go."
Roy was paralyzed, laying on the ground quivering. He smirked, however, and used his wand to teleport to safety.
Iggy and Larry came out from their hiding places, looking shocked and excited.
"That was amazing!" The younger Koopa exclaimed.
"How did you do that?" Iggy questioned.
Neither got their answer. The paralyzed human took two steps forward, made a soft sound, and collapsed to the ground.